Tobacco-press



JOHN H. MGGOWAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TO BACCO-PR ESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 226,334, dated April 6, 1880.

Application filed January 12, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MCGOWAN, of Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Tobacco-Press, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tobacco-presses in which a coinpressbox or mold or nisher,77 as variously termed, is used, in connection with a hydrostatic press or other device, for producing the pressure required for condensin g and finishin g tobacco-plugs in the process of their manufacture for the market and the object of my invention is, generally, toimprove the efficiency and utility 'of such machines.

My improvements consist in combining in one machine parts heretofore separately employed. and adding thereto certain other features of utility, by which, in the operation and use of my improved machine, the process of finishing tobacco-plugs mav be more conveniently, thoroughly, and expeditiously accon1plished,and the machine itself rendered more durable,all as more fully pointed ont in the following description.

My invention is embodied in theA mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of my improved press, showing the mold or compress-box in section and the plunger depressed toits lowest position. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, showing the position of the parts when the plunger is elevated.

Similar letters of reference are used to indicate similar parts in the several views.

The base A, side standards, C, and headpiece D constitute the frame of the press. Upon the base A is secured the cylinder B, in yvhich operates a plunger, E, carrying a head or platen, F.

As ordinarily con structed and used the platen F is a flat plate forming the head of the plunger, upon which the y compress-box or finisher is placed lled with the newly-wrapped plugs of tobacco. Upon the stack of plugs in the finisher is placed a block of wood or metal, loosely fitting the receiver, and the wh ole then elevated and powerfully compressed against the upper brace or head piece, D. The pressure is thus concentrated upon the tobacco by means of the block, which is caused to sink down upon the tobacco and condense it toward the lower end of the iinisher. By this mode of manipulation thepressure frequently breaks or strains the finisher, because the pressure is unequally distributed and is brought to bear upon the weakest portion of the mold--to wit, its edge or outer end. Another source of danger lies in the difficulty of always adjusting the compress in the center of the platen, for unless this is done a side strain of the parts ensues which-is injurious, and sometimes produces serions damage vto all the parts concerned.

By my improvements these disadvantages are overcome.

I construct the head of the plunger or platen F with an elevated portion, re-enforce, or tablet, H, centered thereon, and corresponding with the internal cross-section of the mold. This elevated port-ion H of the platen enters within the opening of the mold, and thus condenses the contents toward the central portion of the compress and relieves the strain from the edge when the plunger is elevated, as shown iii-Fig. 2. I also provide upon the under side of the upper brace, D, a similar tablet, H', centered in the vertical projection of the cylinder-axis, which tablet enters the upper opening of the mold when the latter is elevated and condenses the contents toward the ccnter and relieves the strain upon the upper edge of the mold.

If it is desired to increase the thickness of the tablets H H at any time, additional ones, h h', may be added thereto, being held in place by suitable dowel-pins provided for the purpose, or by screws, in the ordinary manner. By thus building up the compression plates or tablets the exact space into which the contents of the mold are to be compressed may be determined.

'Ihe elevated or re-enforced portion H of the platen-surface F furnishes a means of adjusting and retaining the compress or mold G in its proper position in relation to the axis of movement; but I prefer to construct the mold with lugs or jaws g, extending sidewise and engaging the vertical supports C, so as to guide and retain the mold in its proper line of movement. Or, instead of the lower set of lugs, g,

an independent cross-head, G', may be einployed, which is guided upon the side supports, C, and is provided with a central opening corresponding with the raised portion H IOO IOS

of the plunger-head and fitting over it. I also provide means for sustaining the compressboX at any desired elevation, and prevent its descending to the limit of the plungers travel. Of these I have shown two formsin the drawingsto wit, the suspension-rods J and the adjustable dogs or cleats I. The suspensionrods J are securedto the lower guide-lugs, g, of the compress-box G, or to the independent cross-head G, and pass thence upward through the upper guide-lugs, and also through the upper brace, D, of the press-frame. The upper part of the rods J is provided with screwthreads and set-nuts 7c, by which the adjustment is effected and the limit of the downward movement of the mold G determined.

The suspension-rods J may be secured to the base Aoi the frame and operate as supporting-standards, rising through the cross-head G or lower guide-lugs, with the same means of adjustment; or they may be used as suspension-rods secured to the head-piece D with the adjusting-nuts operating beneath the crosshead G.

The other form of supporting devices mentioned consists of the dogs or cleats I, which embrace the side pieces or guides, O, and are adjustable thereon' by means of set-screws t' at any desired point.

Both the suspension-rods J and the cleats I may be employed in conjunction with each other at the same time in order to preserve the limit of movement of the compress-box accurately at a given point and provide against accidental displacement of mits, 85e., on either support.

It will readily be perceived that by increasin g or diminishing the thickness ofthe raised portions H H of the plunger-head and pressbar, respectively, and adjusting the limit ot' movement of the compress-box the press may be easily and quickly adapted to any desired limit of compression.

lt'will he apparent, also, that it is not absolutely necessary that the compress-box should be guided upon the side supports, C, as the raised portion of the plunger-head serves to retain the mold in the proper aXis of movement.

rIhe suspension-rods J also serve as guides to the mold; but on many accounts I prefer the construction shown, as affording a more durable apparatus for dealing with great pressures.

rlhe mode of operation is as follows: rIhe parts being in the relative position shown in Fig. l and the compress-box filled with plugs of tobacco or other substance to be compressed, the driving force is applied to the plunger. As the latter rises, the compress block or blocks H rise in the mold, thus producing` a preliminarycompression before the mold itself is elevated. Vhen the lower face of the plunger-head F reaches the lower edge of the mold the latter is also carried upward, and lthis movement causes the upper compressblocks, Hf, to descend relatively in the mold the compressed substance is held between the inner faces of the compress-blocks H H in the central portion of the mold.

Where partitions are used in the compress the compress-blocks are suitably divided by slots to allow the passage of the partitions through them.

Having described -myinvention, I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a hydrostatic or other press, in combination with a vertically-movable compressbox or mold adapted to be used therewith and raised thereby, a plunger-head or platen provided with a raised portion corresponding with the internal cross-section of the mold, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a hydrostatic or other press, in combination with a vertically-movable compressbox or mold adapted to be used therewith and raised thereby, a plunger-head or platen, and a head-piece, against which the mold is elevated, both provided with raised tablets corresponding with the internal cross-section of the mold and centered upon the Vairis ot' movement, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the plunger-head and upper press-bar of a tobacco-press and a vertically movable and guided compress-box adapted to be used therewith, the detachable compress-blocks h 71,', provided with dowelpins, screws, or other means of adjusting and retaining the same in position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In combination with the plunger-head of a hydrostatic or other press provided with reenforcing compress-blocks Il, a movable and adjustable cross-head, G', provided with an opening' corresponding with the said blocks, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with the guides C and the vertically-moving mold G, provided with guide-lugs g, the dogs or stops I, adjustable upon the guides, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The adjustable suspension-rods J, in combination with the mold G, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The tobacco-press substantially as de- IOO IOS

IIO

IIS

scribed, embodying in combination the cylin- 

